Give videos of repeat mask violators: Mumbai cops tell housing societies

Officers from Oshiwara police station stop joggers and walkers near a naka bandi. File pic/Rane Ashish

As K West Ward has been reporting highest COVID-19 cases in the city, the Oshiwara police have asked managing committees of housing societies, buildings, and residential complexes in Lokhandwala and Oshiwara to share videos of people seen on the premises without wearing a mask.

In a 16-point circular, undersigned by Senior Inspector Sanjay Bendale of Oshiwara police station, it stated, "The managing committee is instructed to provide video footage of those residents in the society who do not wear masks regularly and are not following COVID-19 protocols. "This will help authorities register an offence against" the violators.

Bendale told mid-day that such letters were earlier sent to societies that were micro containment zones. "However, we have now issued the letter to the buildings in the neighbourhood so that they can be aware of how grim the situation is."

Speaking about the request for video footage of repeat violators, he said, "We were told by various managing committees that people don't listen to the secretary and chairman, and that it would help them enforce rules and regulations if they had a letter from the police."

The circular also stated that repair work of any kind [except pre-monsoon or emergency work] by a plumber, electrician, carpenter, etc, needs to be restricted. Residents in the essential services should be monitored daily using a thermometer and oximeter, it added.

Police have also suggested that residential complexes tie up with local grocery and provision stores, vegetable vendors and pharmacies for online orders.